The Québec and Montréal Winter Experience 

Anna Wurst '26   ~   January 2023

I have traveled to many locations in the United States, but I often forget about what is north of Buffalo. There is so much across the Canadian border that is worth exploring. In this year’s Winter Experience, I, along with forty other students and four teachers, drove to Québec City and Montréal. In our time away from home, we had a taste of French-Canadian culture, embraced the winter weather, bonded with our peers, and learned about Québec’s rich history. 

One of my favorite parts of the trip was exploring Old Québec City. Simply admiring the architecture was an activity in itself! Many of the buildings are painted with vibrant colors and built with beautiful stone. Our tour guide pointed out multiple murals to us, and it was interesting to learn about their history, as well as the hidden details they include. I am specifically interested in art and history, so I was captivated by the creative combination of the two. In addition to learning about history, architecture, and art from the town, I experienced a new level of independence. I enjoyed walking around the quaint town and choosing which little bakeries or souvenir shops I wanted to go into. Simply experiencing the freedom to explore a new environment with my friends was exciting. Being submerged in a new culture was fascinating, and it taught me so much about the history of the city.

Living in Buffalo, many of us know the importance of embracing the snow and cold weather. A significant portion of our activity in Québec City was exactly that. Just before driving to Montréal, we stopped at a dogsledding area to learn about one of Québec’s most popular winter sports. Each one of these intelligent dogs and puppies quickly found their way into our hearts. It was heartwarming to hear how the organization takes in abandoned dogs and does its best to train and strengthen them. Another day, we drove to one of Québec’s largest outdoor sports facilities where we took a tour of the Hotel de Glace and went snow tubing. The Hotel de Glace is a hotel made completely out of ice and snow. Each room was elaborately decorated, and the architecture was extremely impressive. I could not believe it when I heard that people actually book rooms in the ice hotel and sleep there overnight! Afterwards, we went snow tubing, which was a perfect activity because it was easy to learn but still exhilarating. These outdoor activities in Québec City were unforgettable!

While we were staying in Québec City, we participated in activities that allowed us to bond and learn more about Québec’s culture and history. To my surprise, learning about military strategy was fascinating. We learned about the lives and strategies of soldiers in Québec City during the Revolutionary War such as how they stored food, how they were punished, and how they loaded muskets. We also participated in team building activities which allowed students currently taking French at Nardin to practice French vocabulary. For dinner one night, we ate at a restaurant located in the woods. It had live music, dancing, and a delicious maple syrup dessert. Many of us gathered and learned a dance to go along with a live fiddler. During these moments, I was able to interact with students in other grades that I would have never interacted with otherwise.

We spent the last day of our trip in Montréal. It was interesting to experience the drastically different environments: the large, modern city of Montréal and the quaint, colonial Québec City. We stopped at the Notre-Dame Basilica which had beautiful architecture and art. It was inspiring to be surrounded by the beautiful paintings and statues from both an artistic and a religious standpoint. That day, we also met up with a Nardin Alumnus who is currently attending college in Montréal. Hearing about her college experience made me aware of the opportunities available to me and other students. Each of my experiences in Montréal allowed me to learn a little bit more about what I value. 

This opportunity to travel to Québec allowed me to learn so much about Quebéc’s history and about my own interests. I thoroughly enjoyed admiring the historical and religious works of art, which I did not expect. I also interacted with other students in ways I would have never imagined. I am so glad I was able to experience this trip to Québec because of how much I learned and how many memories I made.